Ecclesiastes 10:1-3
Ecclesiastes 10:1-3 The Message (MSG)
Dead flies in perfume make it stink, And a little foolishness decomposes much wisdom. Wise thinking leads to right living; Stupid thinking leads to wrong living. Fools on the road have no sense of direction. The way they walk tells the story: “There goes the fool again!”
Ecclesiastes 10:1-3 King James Version (KJV)
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
Ecclesiastes 10:1-3 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor. A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left. Even when the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking and he demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool.
Ecclesiastes 10:1-3 New Century Version (NCV)
Dead flies can make even perfume stink. In the same way, a little foolishness can spoil wisdom. The heart of the wise leads to right, but the heart of a fool leads to wrong. Even in the way fools walk along the road, they show they are not wise; they show everyone how stupid they are.
Ecclesiastes 10:1-3 American Standard Version (ASV)
Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor. A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left. Yea also, when the fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
Ecclesiastes 10:1-3 New International Version (NIV)
As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left. Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are.
Ecclesiastes 10:1-3 New King James Version (NKJV)
Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, And cause it to give off a foul odor; So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor. A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, But a fool’s heart at his left. Even when a fool walks along the way, He lacks wisdom, And he shows everyone that he is a fool.
Ecclesiastes 10:1-3 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Dead flies make the oil of the perfumer give off a foul odor; so a little foolishness [in one who is esteemed] outweighs wisdom and honor. A wise man’s heart turns him toward the right [which is the way of blessing], but a fool’s heart turns him toward the left [which is the way of condemnation]. [Matt 25:31-41] Even when a fool walks along the road, his [common] sense and good judgment fail him and he demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool.
Ecclesiastes 10:1-3 New Living Translation (NLT)
As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink, so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor. A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one. You can identify fools just by the way they walk down the street!
Ecclesiastes 10:1-3 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left. Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.